Early Macedonian Hetairoi gear

[Merlkir]

Hello,

I'd like to paint some early Macedonian Hetairoi fighting Thracians (cca 420 BC), but I need help with reference for their gear.
I have a description (only quoted, not the actual description) from Thucydides that says :

Thucydides describes Macedonian cavalry against the Thracians as excellent horsemen in breastplates in the 420s BC.

and I have a coin from the time of Alexander I (which is some 25 to 50 years earlier) showing a horseman with two spears and with a cape but no armour.


(image fixed, it wasn't showing before)

Does anyone have something I could use for the clothes? colours, patterns...Hat, shoe, cape references would be great too. What kind of "breastplates" would be used by these horsemen?
Coins of Perdikkas II show helmets, would these horsemen wear them? or just hats?

Thanks for any help.

Jan

[Gorgon]

The hetairoi (Companions) were the elite cavalry of the Macedonian army. At the time you describe C.420 the breastplates in Macedonia (and Thrace) were probably of the old Bronze Bell type, not muscle cuirasses. I'm not sure there were hetaroi at that time though. Didn't they come into beying with Philipe II?

The other type of cavalry you describe is probably typical "light cavalry", armed with what are most probably throwing spears (don't remember the other english name more apropriate right now) and no armor. They probably used a cap instead of a helmet.

I'm sure someone here can give a more up to date and in-depht info on what is known in this period (and what is not) regarding cavalry in Macedonia.

[Merlkir]

Thanks, I used "hetairoi" based on this part

Pezetairoi: According to a fragment of Anaximenes (a contemporary of Philip), these were founded by king "Alexander". This can't be the famous Alexander (Alexander III), since the pezetairoi were certainly in existance in his father Philip's lifetime (see the remarks on Theopompus below). Alexander I from the early 5th century BC seems altogether too early to me, given the implied regular nature of such troops, coupled with the lack of any mention of such troops in Thukydides. Alexander II, who reigned from 370 BC to 368 BC seems the obvious choice (the objection that his reign was too short to have any lasting influence on the military is to my mind very weak - why is two years too short a time to organise an army?). Anaximenes records them being organised in units (lochoi) with files of 10 men (dekades); and that this was also the time that the cavalry as a whole were first called Companions (hetairoi). He states that all the infantry were called Pezetairoi, but I allow at most 2000, the probable number of Philip's footguards, as Theopompos, also a contemporary of Philip, states that Philips guards were called Pezetairoi; perhaps Alexander's short reign was enough to train the best troops, but that projected plans for training the levy were not carried out before his murder. There is no reason to think that such troops were armed in anything other than the normal Macedonian manner - ie. with javelins, and hence are graded as Ax, not Sp.

of this article:

[url:2vlp9hi4]http://www.ne.jp/asahi/luke/ueda-sarson/EarlyMacDBM.html[/url]

Now if they've been established by Alexander II, it's probably not appropriate to call them Hetairoi, if it was the other Alexander - I, it would fit though.

the Thucydides quote about breastplates is from this article:

[url:2vlp9hi4]http://www.fanaticus.org/DBA/armies/I54/index.html[/url]

[Gorgon]

Thanks. Well, I'm not sure about the timeline in terms of military history of Macedonia. I would have to go check out some specific stuff on the Macedonian forces, and I think there are people here much more qualified to discuss that than me.

Regarding the cavalry: c. 420 I would see Macedonian cavalry more like "light cavalry", with javelins (two, maybe more) and no armor. Maybe perhaps a boeotian helmet instead of hat/cap (these came into beying around c. 450, although I'm not sure how fast they spread to Macedonia). If armored, than it's probable that it was the old Bell type cuirass. Macedonian's and Thracians were "behind the times" when it came to armor before Phillip II. They seem to have adopted the Bell bronze cuirass in the late 6th century when southern Greece was droping it and moving for the linen/leather cuirass (and muscle bronze cuirass for the ones who could/wanted to have it).

Still I'm sure someone here can be more precise.

[Sean Manning]

Here's the bit in Thucydides. A horde of Thracians had just invaded lowland Macedonia: they were famous for light infantry and skirmishing cavalry. Thucyides 2.100 says “The Macedonians never even thought of opposing them with infantry, but they sent for further reinforcements of cavalry from their allies in the interior, and, although in greatly inferior numbers, they made cavalry attacks on the Thracian army when they saw their opportunity. Whenever they did so, being excellent horsemen and armed with breastplates, no one could stand up to them, but they found themselves running into danger by being surrounded by the enormously greater numbers of their enemies, so that in the end they gave up making these attacks, feeling that they were not in sufficient force to risk battle with such superior numbers.” Probably they wore helmets and bronze cuirasses for armour. I'm not sure whether they used lances (xysta) or spears (palta) at this date or how their clothing would be decorated. Books on Alexander's army would be a good starting point for research.

It could be that there were cavalry called Heteroi from an early date (the retinues of Macedonian nobles) but Alexander II granted all the Macedonian cavalry the honour of that name, just like Philip or Alexander called their pikemen "foot companions."

[MeinPanzer]

Here's a relief that may be of some help:

http://www.antiquemilitaryhistory.com/i ... elinna.JPG

This is a funerary stele from Pelinna in nearby Thessaly from the mid-4th c. BC. I don't think a Thracian helmet like this would have been in use in the 5th c. BC, but the cuirasses referred to were likely tube-and-yokes like this or bronze muscled cuirasses

[Merlkir]

I know this stele, thank you!
So the tube-and-yoke cuirass would be a linen one? or leather?
Those vertical lined things on the shoulder - is that a stylized tunic, or a part of the cuirass?

[MeinPanzer]

I know this stele, thank you!
So the tube-and-yoke cuirass would be a linen one? or leather?

This is a highly-debated topic here on the forums. I would say leather, but others would say linen. However, if you're doing a painting, it doesn't really matter - just portray it as a solid colour, probably white or off-white, which could represent either alum-tawed leather or linen, or some other colour altogether.

Those vertical lined things on the shoulder - is that a stylized tunic, or a part of the cuirass?

Those are pteruges, the same sort of strips of material seen at the bottom, only smaller. What they are made of is, again, debatable, with leather seeming likeliest, but if you're painting, that doesn't really matter either.

[Gorgon]

Here's a relief that may be of some help:

http://www.antiquemilitaryhistory.com/i ... elinna.JPG

This is a funerary stele from Pelinna in nearby Thessaly from the mid-4th c. BC. I don't think a Thracian helmet like this would have been in use in the 5th c. BC, but the cuirasses referred to were likely tube-and-yokes like this or bronze muscled cuirasses

But this is a stele from the mid-4th century, so shoulder-piece cuirasses are almost certaily in use in Macedon. Phillip II even had one in iron. But in c. 420, before the reforms of Phillip II (and Alexander II), I'd say it's more probable that cuirasses were still of the bronze Bell type in both Macedon and Thrace for the most part. There are at least two cuirasses from Thrace recovered from around c. 425 and c.400 respectively, and both are bronze Bell type.

As for the helmet, that seems to me a Phrygian helmet, not a Thracian helmet. They start to appear around c. 400 and are well attested for middle 4th century, the date of that stele.

EDIT: the Phrygian helmet is a later version of the Thracian helmet, so basically what I mean here is that the "neo-Thracian" helmet would not be in use before c. 400. Maybe that's what you meant in the first place.

[MeinPanzer]

But this is a stele from the mid-4th century, so shoulder-piece cuirasses are almost certaily in use in Macedon. Phillip II even had one in iron. But in c. 420, before the reforms of Phillip II (and Alexander II), I'd say it's more probable that cuirasses were still of the bronze Bell type in both Macedon and Thrace for the most part. There are at least two cuirasses from Thrace recovered from around c. 425 and c.400 respectively, and both are bronze Bell type.

T&Y cuirasses were in use in Greece from much earlier, so I don't see why they couldn't have been in use in Macedonia, either. Archaic bell cuirasses were in use in Thrace, yes, but that doesn't necessarily tell us anything about Macedonia, which had a more direct connection with Greece than Thrace and different traditions of armour use. Among all the recent finds from the major Archaic-Classical cemetery at Archontiko in Macedonia, I don't think I've heard of any finds of bell cuirasses (or any solid-plate cuirasses for that matter), though I have heard of remains of probable metal T&Y fittings.

As for the helmet, that seems to me a Phrygian helmet, not a Thracian helmet.

They're two names for the same thing. Thracian, Phrygian, Tiaraartigen, whatever you want to call it.

They start to appear around c. 400 and are well attested for middle 4th century, the date of that stele.

Which is exactly what I noted in my post.

[Gorgon]

Could you elaborate on the Archontiko findings? That sounds interesting. What are the dates for those findings? Middle-late 5th century, early 4th?
You're right that Thrace was more "backwards" than Macedonia, although I don't think Macedonia was evolving in terms of armour at the same time as southern Greece either, at least that's my perception from what I've read. But as I said I'm not much up-to-date with Macedonian warfare before Phillip II/Alexander.

As for the helmet, I understand that many authors simply call Thracian to basically all the variants, older and newer. But my perception is also that the term "Phrigian" applies only to the late/new Thracian helmet model that poped up around c. 400 and not to the earlier models. If I'm correct you can call both the older and the newer models Thracian but you can't call the older models "Phrigian" since that term applies only to the newer models. Or I'm I wrong?

As I said, and as you pointed out also, the model in the stele is the newer version and so typical of what one would find in a middle 4th century stele. I think I misinterpreted what you were saying and that is why I added an "edit" to my previous post (maybe you didn't see it).

And it's because of cases like these that I told Merlkir to wait for posts from people that know more about this topic than me :wink:

[agesilaos3]

The coin you picture shows a rider equipped for hunting, hence the little dog between the horse's legs. Kausiai, the funny hat, could be worn in battle Pyrrhus famously donning one he took from one of his companions when things got a bit too hot to handle. Armament of two javelins was also pretty standard. Evidence for the existence of 'light' cavalry recruited from Macedonians is scant if not non-existant. The nobles grooms seem to have fought among the heavies as evidenced by the case of Aretas at the Granikos.

Personally the case for the Alexander in Anaximenes being the First of that name is much stronger than the wargames type allows, but this is not the place for that debate.

[Merlkir]

OK, now I'm confused
The heavy variant with a breastplate (tube and yoke more probably?) and a helmet is more likely? And for weapons - a lance? Or just a spear? maybe a sword for a sidearm?
And if I understand you, there could be some kind of lighter cavalry - the grooms?
For the helmet, I've found these coins:


[url:3mq9oitl]http://www.wildwinds.com/coins/greece/macedonia/kings/perdikkas_II/Raymond_175.jpg[/url]

[url:3mq9oitl]http://www.wildwinds.com/coins/greece/macedonia/kings/perdikkas_II/Raymond_131ff.jpg[/url]

although I don't know if these would be appropriate. And I can't quite tell what kind of a helmet it is anyway. Are the cheekguards fixed, or hinged? It reminds me of illyrian helmets a bit.
(I think the coins are from the reign of Perdikkas II, that should fit the timeframe)

(I apologize for so many question, but I find this subject very interesting.)

[MeinPanzer]

Could you elaborate on the Archontiko findings? That sounds interesting. What are the dates for those findings? Middle-late 5th century, early 4th?

I can't elaborate too much because I've not yet seen even a preliminary report on the findings (the excavations only began 4 years ago), but burials have been found in the massive cemetery ranging from the 7th to the 3rd c. BC, with the large majority being Archaic/Classical. To quote from an article, "the typical Archontiko tomb contained gold masks, gold breastplates, clothes and shoes adorned with gold strips, helmets, shields, swords, spears and knives embellished with gold strips or rosettes.... The men were mostly in full armor, with helmets adorned with incised gold strips, steel swords with gold on the handles, spears and knives. Gold foil sheets with embossed ornamentation adorn the leather breastplates, clothing, footwear and hand coverings of the warriors." Mentions are often lightly made of attachments for leather or linen armour without any proof that the deceased actually wore that armour, but I've seen some mention elsewhere of standard T&Y cuirass fittings being found. The helmets are all the standard Illyrian type in the Archaic/Classical finds, usually decorated with gold strips and a gold face mask. These burials were clearly aristocratic, but I've not yet heard of any finds of horse equipment, which makes these finds more difficult to interpret.

As for the helmet, I understand that many authors simply call Thracian to basically all the variants, older and newer. But my perception is also that the term "Phrigian" applies only to the late/new Thracian helmet model that poped up around c. 400 and not to the earlier models. If I'm correct you can call both the older and the newer models Thracian but you can't call the older models "Phrigian" since that term applies only to the newer models. Or I'm I wrong?

I've not heard this before, but it depends on what classification system you're following - Egg? Dintsis? What "early" helmets are you classifying as "Thracian" then?

OK, now I'm confused
The heavy variant with a breastplate (tube and yoke more probably?) and a helmet is more likely? And for weapons - a lance? Or just a spear? maybe a sword for a sidearm?
And if I understand you, there could be some kind of lighter cavalry - the grooms?
For the helmet, I've found these coins:

Image
http://www.wildwinds.com/coins/greece/m ... nd_175.jpg
Image
http://www.wildwinds.com/coins/greece/m ... _131ff.jpg

although I don't know if these would be appropriate. And I can't quite tell what kind of a helmet it is anyway. Are the cheekguards fixed, or hinged? It reminds me of illyrian helmets a bit.
(I think the coins are from the reign of Perdikkas II, that should fit the timeframe)

(I apologize for so many question, but I find this subject very interesting.)

Cuirass and helmet seem likely, and based on my rather limited knowledge of the finds from Archaic and Classical Macedonia, that would probably be a T&Y cuirass with an Illyrian helmet. A couple of throwing spears seem likely with a sword for a sidearm. Those coins show Illyrian helmets which Egg would classify as Variant III, which are also the most commonplace type of helmet found in Macedonia during the Archaic period (see above). Simply based on the proportion of finds from aristocratic graves I would say that this would be the most likely candidate for an early Macedonian cavalry reconstruction helmet, but I could imagine that these would not be very well-suited to fighting on horseback.

[Sean Manning]

Cuirass and helmet seem likely, and based on my rather limited knowledge of the finds from Archaic and Classical Macedonia, that would probably be a T&Y cuirass with an Illyrian helmet. A couple of throwing spears seem likely with a sword for a sidearm. Those coins show Illyrian helmets which Egg would classify as Variant III, which are also the most commonplace type of helmet found in Macedonia during the Archaic period (see above). Simply based on the proportion of finds from aristocratic graves I would say that this would be the most likely candidate for an early Macedonian cavalry reconstruction helmet, but I could imagine that these would not be very well-suited to fighting on horseback.

Isn't there evidence for Scythians wearing Corinthian helmets with the nasals cut out? Plenty of cavalry have worn helmets which covered everything except the face, like the 16th century burgonet, so I think that most styles of ancient helmet would be practical for both cavalry and infantry. Of course, a cavalryman might want better vision and hearing than a hoplite, but that would be up to the individual.